1. Field of the Invention:
This invention relates to exercise machines, and, more particularly, to machines for performing both aerobic and anaerobic exercises.
2. State of the Art:
One goal of exercise is to enhance the strength and endurance of skeletal muscles. Another goal is to enhance the capacity and endurance of, for example, the heart and lungs.
Exercises are sometimes categorized according to their relative purpose or effectiveness in achieving a particular goal. For purposes of this application, those exercises most effective in strengthening skeletal muscles may be termed anaerobic or strength-conditioning exercises. Strength-conditioning exercises are also sometimes called weight-training exercises. Those which are most effective in enhancing cardiovascular performance or the condition of the heart and lungs may be termed aerobic exercises. It is usually desirable to include both aerobic and anaerobic exercises in an exercise program.
Aerobic exercises rely generally on rapid and extended repetitions of an exercise movement against low to moderate resistance. Running and jogging are examples of what are typically regarded as aerobic exercises. Treadmills and stepper-type machines are examples of machines for performing running, stepping or jogging-type exercised. United States Patents disclosing stepper-type exercise machines include U.S. Pat. No. 4,838,543 (Armstrong); U.S. Pat. No. 4,830,362 (Bull); U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,338 (Potts); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,504 (Yang).
Anaerobic exercises for muscle conditioning are usually performed by making a relatively few repetitive movements or repetitions (e.g., 10-30) against high resistance. Typically, anaerobic exercises involve a more static type of exercise in which the user pushes or pulls against a force which can be selected or adjusted consistent with the user's desires. For example, the exerciser may work against gravitational resistance by lifting free weights, or by lifting weights through an arrangement of pulleys, to develop increased strength. Weight machines are known which provide adjustable resistance for a selection of anaerobic exercises using different muscles and limbs. Such machines may include a bench portion so the user may recline to do, for example, press exercises, or sit to do, for example, leg lift exercises. Examples include the machines described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,809,972 (Rasmussen et al.); 4,898,381 (Gordon); 4,902,006 (Stallings); 4,861,025 (Rockwell); 4,799,671 (Hoggan et al.); 4,930,768 (Lapcevic); 4,919,419 (Houston); 4,915,379 (Sapp); 4,900,018 (Ish et al.); and 4,915,377, 4,744,559 and 4,678,185 (Mahnke).
For many users, a home exercise apparatus greatly facilitates the regular performance of an exercise program. It is, furthermore, highly desirable to have a single machine useful for both anaerobic and aerobic conditioning. Exercise machines that combine both aerobic and anaerobic exercise functions are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,477,071 (Brown et al.) discloses a rowing machine (aerobic) which can be reconfigured and used for performing anaerobic exercises. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,796,881 and 4,750,736 (Watterson) both disclose a rowing exerciser with a weight bench structure for anaerobic or strength exercises. U.S. Pat. No. 4,705,267 (Jackson) discloses a machine having a weight bench portion, a bicycle wind trainer and a rowing machine. In an early exercise device illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 881,521 (Wilson), a mechanical chair was adapted to convert into a variety of exercise devices, such as an inclined roller section, rowing machine and handle exercise assembly. Commercially known machines include the GYMPAC 1500 made by Diversified Products Corporation of Opelika, Ala. and the FLEX CTS and FLEX PLUS machines made by Proform Fitness Products, Inc. of Logan, Utah.
A wide variety of anaerobic machines have been devised. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,072,309 (Wilson) shows a machine which can be reconfigured to perform a number of different exercises. One form of this machine is available from SOLOFLEX of Hillsboro, Oreg. It has a grip or bar element adjustably mountable in height to a central post. The bar element is mountable to a fin which extends from the central post. The fin has adjustment holes for passage of a locking pin. The bar element must be repositioned or reconfigured to perform many of the different exercises. Further, the user's hair, clothing, or digits may become entangled in the operating structure of the SOLOFLEX device.
Even though machines are known that can be reconfigured for use for both aerobic and anaerobic exercises, such machines have not in the past involved a relatively small or compact structure that can be easily converted while readily useful for aerobic exercises such as walking or jogging.
Motorized treadmills are a recognized machine for performing aerobic exercise. Various improvements to treadmills have been made to enhance their utility and their appeal, including inclination and speed adjustments, programmed and programmable exercise routines, shock absorption, pulse monitoring and safety switches.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,625,962 (Street) illustrates one such treadmill. It shows a treadmill with a cable pull apparatus to exercise the upper body and apparatus to develop muscles used in ski poling, canoeing or kayaking, and rowing.
Further, illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,493 (Johnston) is a conventional treadmill apparatus which includes an auxiliary upper body exercise unit and a seat which, in turn, may be installed on the treadmill in a forwardly-facing or rearwardly-facing fashion to be used in conjunction with the auxiliary upper body exercise unit.
Another treadmill apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,000,440 (Lynch), which combines a treadmill with an upper body muscle-stressing device. The user may use the treadmill independently of an exerciser which utilizes weights, lifted by the user.
A similar apparatus is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,119 (Lynch), which combines a treadmill with an upper body exercise device and monitor. Rather than use weights in the upper body exercise device, hydraulic/pneumatic cylinders, springs, elastic bands or other suitable variable resistance means are incorporated.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,110,117 (Fisher et al.), a treadmill is illustrated having movable handles to be grasped by the user for exercising the upper body of the user while walking on the treadmill belt. The device of the '117 patent employs spring-loaded handles pivotally mounted on each side of the treadmill belt. The handles also extend upwardly through the side surfaces or chassis adjacent the treadmill belt.
A similar-type treadmill is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,622 (Wilkinson et al.) wherein the pivotally-mounted handles on each side of the treadmill belt incorporate adjustable resistance devices that incorporate resistance plates or disks to adjust the desired force for the user during the upper body exercises of the user.
Yet another treadmill-type exercise device is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,866 (Engel et al.), which includes a treadmill, slidable foot restraints to simulate cross-country skiing, reciprocating, pivotable foot paddles connected to pneumatic cylinders or resistance mechanisms to simulate stair climbing and a pivotable torso support to assist balance of a person during exercise.
Further, illustrated in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/954,299 filed Sep. 30, 1992, is a treadmill with upper body exercise system as currently sold by Proform Fitness Products, Inc. as the CROSS WALK.RTM. Dual Motion Cross Trainer machine.
Disclosed in the drawings and specification, the exercise arms may be mounted on the top or outside of the side rails of the treadmill. Also, the exercise arms may be connected by a cable, rope or the like through a resistance mechanism. Other configurations of exercise arms or their equivalent may include cables or ropes extending rearwardly from a resistance structure positioned forward of the tread of the treadmill. The resistance may be configured to allow the cable or ropes to be moved by the user separately or alternately against a resistance such as friction applied to a pulley or even weights.
While such prior-art devices provide a treadmill type of apparatus which may include different types of upper body exercise, such devices do not provide sufficient flexibility and opportunity for a user to have available a broad range of aerobic and anaerobic exercises in one exercise apparatus.